1. Field of the invention
The present invention relates to a terminal metal fitting for electrically connecting an electric wire to a connection terminal of electric parts such as busbar, electric relay or fuse.
2. Description of the Related Art
For example, a terminal metal fitting 101 shown in FIG.7 has been used for connection with a connection terminal of electric parts such as busbar, electric relay or fuse. The terminal metal fitting 101 is formed, for example, by bending a conductive metal plate and has a wire connecting portion 104 and an electrically contacting portion 105.
The metal plate to form the terminal metal fitting 101 is initially rectangular. The wire connecting portion 104 has a bottom wall 110a and cramping pieces 111 continuing from an edge of the bottom wall 110a. The wire connecting portion 104 is electrically connected to an electric wire 103 by inwardly bending the cramping pieces 111 after a wire-exposed end portion of the electric wire 103 has been put on the bottom wall 110a. 
The electrically contacting portion 105 is cylindrical and has a bottom wall 110b, a ceiling wall 112 facing the bottom wall 110b, sidewalls 113 connecting the bottom wall 110b and the ceiling wall 112, and a pair of elastic pieces 115a,115b. The bottom wall 110a of the wire connecting portion 104 and the bottom wall 110b of the electrically contacting portion 105 are integrally formed in one plane.
The pair of elastic pieces 115a,115b each are formed in a belt-like shape and are integrally formed with the bottom wall 110b. The elastic pieces 115a,115b are arranged in a direction parallel with the electric wire 103 placed on the bottom wall 110a. 
End portions 116a,116b (hereinafter, one end portions) of the respective elastic pieces 115a,115b integrally continue from the above bottom wall 110b and oppositely positioned apart from each other. End portions 117a,117b (hereinafter, other end portions) of the respective elastic pieces 115a,115b are flatly arranged between the bottom wall 110b and the ceiling wall 112 parallel therewith and are positioned close to each other. In this way, the elastic pieces 115a,115b each are in a cantilevered state.
And, the elastic pieces 115a,115b have connecting portions 118a,118b connecting the one end portions 116a,116b and the other end portions 117a,117b, respectively. The connecting portions 118a,118b each are formed obliquely to the above bottom wall 110b, namely to the ceiling wall 112, from the bottom wall 110b toward the ceiling wall 112.
And, the other end portions 117a,117b of the pair of elastic pieces 115a,115b are in layers in a vertical direction and can be elastically-deformed contactably and discontactably with the above ceiling wall 112.
An insertion 102 of the above connection terminal (P in FIG.7) of electric parts is inserted among the bottom wall 110b, the ceiling wall 112, and the sidewalls 113 of the terminal metal fitting 101.
And, the insertion 102 having been inserted is put between the ceiling wall 112 and one, closer to the ceiling wall 112, of the elastic pieces 115a,115b, whereby the electric wire 103 connected to the wire connecting portion 104 is electrically connected with the insertion 102. In this state, the elastic pieces 115a,115b have an elastic restoring force to push the insertion 102 toward the ceiling wall 112.
With respect to the above prior art terminal metal fitting 101, however, since the other end portions 117a,117b of the pair of elastic pieces 115a,115b are in layers in vertical direction, a distance between the bottom wall 110b and the ceiling wall 112 is large.
And, in the prior art terminal metal fitting 101, the elastic pieces 115a,115b each are in a cantilevered state, wherein the one end portions 116a,116b each integrally continue from the bottom wall 110b. Therefore, since the elastic restoring force of the elastic pieces 115a,115b to push the insertion 102 toward the ceiling wall 112 is comparatively week, the insertion 102 is likely to come out.
In view of the foregoing, a first object of the present invention is to provide a downsized terminal metal fitting, and a second object of the present invention is to provide a terminal metal fitting which is capable of preventing an insertion of a mating connection terminal from coming out.
In order to achieve the above first object, as a first aspect of the present invention, a terminal metal fitting for electrically connecting an electric wire to a mating terminal metal fitting comprises: a wire connecting portion to which the electric wire is connected; an electrically contacting portion in which an insertion of the mating terminal metal fitting is inserted; a pair of walls formed on the electrically contacting portion to receive the insertion therebetween; and a pair of elastic pieces formed on one of the pair of walls to push the insertion toward the other of the pair of walls, the insertion being put between the other of the pair of walls and the pair of elastic pieces, wherein the pair of elastic pieces are arranged in an insertion direction of the insertion, while obliquely projecting from the one of the pair of walls toward the other of the pair of walls, and end faces, facing each other, of the pair of elastic pieces, respectively, face the insertion direction of the insertion. As a second aspect of the present invention, in the structure with the above first aspect, the pair of elastic pieces each are formed in a belt-like shape, one end portion of each elastic piece integrally continues from the one of the pair of walls, and the other end portion of each elastic piece obliquely projects toward the other of the pair of walls and is capable of elastically deforming contactably and discontactably therewith.
As a third aspect of the present invention, in the structure with either one of the above aspects, the terminal metal fitting further comprises: a second elastic piece, formed in a belt-like shape, to be put on top of the pair of elastic pieces so that the insertion is pushed toward the other of the pair of walls and securely held between the other of the pair of walls and the second elastic piece.
According to the above-described structures of the present invention, the following advantages are provided.
(1) Since the pair of end faces of the other end portions of the elastic pieces face the insertion direction of the insertion, the pair of elastic pieces are not put on top of each other. Therefore, the vertical thickness of the electrically contacting portion can be decreased, thereby attaining the downsizing of the terminal metal fitting.
(2) A pair of elastic pieces each are formed in a belt-like shape, and one end portion of each elastic piece integrally continues from the one of the pair of walls. And, the other end portion of each elastic piece obliquely projects toward the other of the pair of walls and is capable of elastically deforming contactably and discontactably therewith.
When the insertion is inserted into the electrically contacting portion, an elastic restoring force to push the insertion toward the ceiling wall arises in each of the elastic pieces. Therefore, the insertion can be securely held between the ceiling wall and the elastic pieces, thereby preventing the insertion from coming out of the electrically contacting portion.
(3) The insertion having inserted into the electrically contacting portion is pushed by the second elastic piece in addition to the elastic pieces. Therefore, the insertion can be more securely held inside the electrically contacting portion, thereby preventing the insertion from coming out of the electrically contacting portion.